Meadia Golf Club blames cart accident on driver who filed lawsuit

LANCASTER – The docket in a lawsuit over an accident in a golf cart shows no activity in the past year after Meadia Heights Golf Club blamed the golfer who sued it for the wreck.

Meadia Heights' answer to the complaint said the plaintiff is solely responsible for the injuries he sustained while operating a cart at the Meadia Heights Golf Club because of his speed.

Plaintiffs James A. Grinestaff and Tracey A. Grinestaff named Meadia Heights Golf Club in Lancaster, Golf Car Specialties LLC, Yamaha Golf-Car as defendants in their June 22, 2016, lawsuit.

The defendants filed an answer, new matter and cross-claim Aug. 12, 2016, with the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster County.

James Grinestaff said he was thrown from a cart on May 11, 2014, on a particularly steep and wet portion of the Media Heights cart path. Grinestaff alleged that he was knocked unconscious in the accident and suffered scalp, sternum, lung, ankle and shoulder injuries.

However, in its answer to the complaint and counterclaim, the defendants argued that “James A. Grinestaff was traveling too fast for conditions, which action directly resulted in the happening of the accident.”

In addition, the defendants said James Grinestaff was not driving the cart in a safe manner and “failed to obey posted notices, signs and other warnings.”

“Plaintiff’s injuries and damages, if any, were caused solely and directly as a result of the negligence, carelessness and recklessness of the plaintiff,”Meadia Heights said in its answer.

The plaintiffs claim that the defendants should be held liable for injuries suffered by James Grinestaff and seek judgment of more than $50,000.

Meadia’s role in the alleged negligence, according to the Grinestaffs’ complaint, was that the club did not provide proper safety precautions and detour routes for the use of the carts on its course during inclement weather.

The Grinestaffs allege that Yamaha is responsible for providing safe golf carts to users at Meadia Heights and to alert users of “known risks to the users of its cars when descending steep grade, particularly in wet weather, so as to encourage the owners of individual golf courses to take the precautions necessary to address and alleviate these risks.”

In addition, the plaintiffs claim that Golf Car Specialties did not adequately maintain and calibrate the brakes on the golf carts used at Meadia.

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